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Flame Prophet
Flame Prophet is the first book in the Blood Moon series, and the third chronologically speaking. It kicks off 67 cycles after the close of the Scourge of Shadows and follows the journey of both Maeya, a human pilgrim and Zakh, a typhon archaeologist as they search for significance in a world shaped by disaster. The Big Picture The Protectorate The Protectorate have gained considerable power within Naen, and the White Gold Council now sits beneath the crown and has legislative power within Lypter. The monarch, however, is very opposed to its moves. Protectorate cleansers patrol Naenese lands hunting down the remnants of the Scourge and persecuting magi they discover, whom they blame for its occurrence. The southern magi see them more as a nuisance - for now they are few in number and scarce in resources. The Warlocks Typhon warlocks and Benniszth the Blackened have located the remains of Vaeliang, the ancient dragon who knows the forbidden rites needed to return Mikhalinn to corporeal form. But first, they need to excavate her remains and return her spirit to her body. The Pirates The incidence of attacks on merchant ships the world over has increased due to pirate activity. Outlaws have begun rallying behind a legendary figure, Dru'Wan the Bloodreaver, but few know the truth of it. Believing him to be a rumour, myth or some other fanciful fiction. The Talfar Talfar financiers have emerged from the Underworld and now helped in the reconstruction of the city of Delekosk, effectively coming to rule this city through their influence. They now seek further power and connections and have started to probe the economy of Mireport for in-roads there as well. They seek world-spanning power by claiming its power over oceanic trade routes. Prologue * Historical events relevant to the story about to be told - major puzzle pieces Mikhalinn's bleak ascent up the slopes of Mikhul Delvin to witness the Moon. Politics of the Gods Part One Prelude * Multiple perspectives outlining the world at the story's beginning Ohrmazd introspects and reflects upon the events that have recently transpired. Benniszth conspires with the typhon warlocks, referring to a mysterious "She". Arc One * Introduce the world and tone of the story * Introduce main character with an entrance * Foreshadow the moral change - the character's flaw * Introduce the other major players * Plan other props/skills of the character through their backstory Chapter I (Maeya): '''Maeya is summoned to the temple of Immol and directed to the cave at the top of the mountain. '''Chapter II (Zakh): Zakh makes preparations to depart on an expedition to the swamps of Daakas to recover the remains of some unspecified wonder for his employers. Chapter III (Maeya): '''Maeya ascends the mountain via a cavern complex, escorted by cyclops guides, witnessing their esoteric cave paintings. '''Chapter IV (Zakh): '''Zakh departs from the Typhon Isles and sails west to Mireport. '''Chapter V (Maeya): Maeya converses with the wise one of the mountain, the dragon Ohrmazd, who directs her to Cerissaeth, the Island of Magic. Chapter VI (Zakh): '''Zakh meets his archaeological crew and dig team in Mireport, and enters the Salt Mire. '''Arc Two * The character resists their call to action Chapter VII (Maeya): '''Maeya sets sail for Cerissaeth with a few magi who share this destination. '''Chapter VIII (Zakh): '''Zakh arrives in Mireport and meets his dig team. '''Chapter IX (Maeya): '''Maeya arrives at Cerissaeth and meets Alizan in the Great Hall, who tells her of her destiny on the continent of Vaishun. '''Chapter X (Zakh): '''Zakh slogs through the mire and sets up the dig site. '''Chapter XI (Maeya): '''Maeya sets sail for the Haneiyan coast. '''Chapter XII (Zakh): '''Zakh recovers the first few dragon bones from the mud and is awestruck. '''Arc Three * The first half-hearted attempt at action is shot down Chapter XIII '('Maeya): 'Maeya and the crew of the ship find the settlement destroyed, and are ambushed by zimbwis, barely escaping alive. '''Chapter XIV '('''Zakh): '''Zakh watches as the dragon's skull is raised from the bog, and its spirit enters the black diamond shard he carries. '''Chapter XV (Maeya): '''Maeya enters the watery caverns of the astacus, seeking another entrance into the continent, and meets these alien creatures. '''Chapter XVI (Zakh): The spirit whispers to Zakh from the gemstone, befriending him as the excavation continues. Chapter XVII (Maeya): 'Maeya exits the caverns and finds respite at a Myrkish village. '''Chapter XVIII (Zakh): ' '''Arc Four * The second, genuine attempt to overcome adversity also fails * The character's flaw gets in their way * There is a strong hint at the character's need to change Chapter XIX (Maeya): '''Maeya witnesses the tribal customs of the dark-skinned people, and speaks with the village wise-woman before her departure. '''Chapter XX (Zakh): '''Zakh returns to Mireport to store the skeleton in the museum, but soon departs for Araia. '''Chapter XXI (Maeya): '''Maeya travels across the plains with her two guardians, observing the local fauna and finding the site of a recent morbus raid. '''Chapter XXII (Zakh): Chapter XXIII (Maeya): '''Maeya reaches the edge of the badlands of Ignisland, and bids farewell to her two companions, heading onwards alone for the first time. '''Chapter XXIV (Zakh): Part Two Prelude Arc Five * Confrontation with the need to change in order to eventually succeed * The character's eyes are opened to reality - that they must "change or die" ''OR...'' * The character's eyes are closed to reality - they double down on their flaw * The character retreats to lick their wounds Chapter XXV (Maeya): '''Maeya travels up the mountainside as her final trial on the journey to the Flame Temple. '''Chapter XXVI (Zakh): '''Zakh gathers an adventuring group to venture him into the wastes of Yondo. '''Chapter XXVII (Maeya): Chapter XXVIII (Zakh): Chapter XXIX (Maeya): Chapter XXX (Maeya): Arc Six * Creation of a new plan of action * Now the character is prepared to take a different approach ''OR...'' * The character refuses to let go of their rigid approach * Resolve to change for the betterment of the self and of the world ''OR...'' * Resolve to double down for the preservation of ego Chapter XXXI (Maeya): '''Maeya meets Steval and is introduced to the lore of the Order of Ennead. '''Chapter XXXII (Zakh): '''Zakh journeys the blue sands and encounters various horrors, but presses ever onward. '''Chapter XXXIII (Maeya): Chapter XXXIV (Zakh): Chapter XXXV (Maeya): Chapter XXXVI (Zakh): Arc Seven * The character puts their final plan into action * The character is almost destroyed in some manner in the process * The tables are turned on the adversary/antagonistic element ''OR...'' * The tables are turned on the character and their fate is all but sealed Chapter XXXVII (Maeya): '''Maeya undergoes rigorous training under the Blademaster and learns of her purpose. '''Chapter XXXVIII (Zakh): '''Zakh locates the lost city of Marl. '''Chapter XXXIX (Maeya): Chapter XL (Zakh): '''Zakh digs through to the city with his crew. '''Chapter XLI (Maeya): Chapter XLII (Zakh): '''As they camp out above Marl's ancient ruins, Zakh's party are attacked by fiends of the blue sands, and Zakh abandons them, escaping into the ruins. '''Arc Eight * The adversary has one last opportunity to defeat the character somehow ''OR...'' * The character has one last opportunity to redeem themselves * The character fully triumphs and the world is bettered ''OR...'' * The character is taken down by their vice and the world suffers * BUT leave some form of a cliff-hanger to set up the next book in the series Chapter XLIII (Maeya): '''Maeya enters the Shrine of the Sun's Heart and encounters the ancient dragon Kharkaroth. '''Chapter XLIV (Zakh): Zakh struggles through the bizarre underground ruins of Marl, seeking the black diamond. Chapter XLV (Maeya): Chapter XLVI (Zakh): '''Zakh locates the temple of Keluxax and enters within. '''Chapter XLVII (Maeya): Chapter XLVIII (Zakh): '''Zakh discovers the heart of Vaeliang and unites the whole, and is killed when she returns to unlife. '''Epilogue Maeya accepts her destiny and meets the eldjotnar beneath the volcano at the Lake of Fire. Elsewhere, a vast and grim shadow falls upon the ship transporting the dragon's skeleton across the southern seas...